The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in English language arts. The lowest is 27% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Lounsberry Hollow School
Lounsberry Hollow School serves fourth and fifth graders in Vernon Township, a sprawling Sussex County community of lakes, state parks, and ski resorts. The school is one of six buildings in the Vernon Township School District, and its grade span places it between the district’s primary schools (grades K-3) and the middle school (grades 6-8). For families with children in these upper elementary years, this is the single building their child will attend for two years before moving on to Glen Meadow Middle School.
State assessment results for the most recent testing year show a mixed picture. In English language arts, fourth graders posted a proficiency rate above the midpoint, while fifth graders’ rate was somewhat lower. Math proficiency was similar across both grades, landing around the same moderate level. Science, tested only in fifth grade, showed a weaker result, with roughly one in four students meeting the state’s proficiency standard. When placed against other districts in Sussex County, the school’s overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile. That is a fact a parent may want to explore further with the school or district to understand what supports are in place.
The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population making up close to one in five students. Black, Asian, and multiracial students each account for small shares. Roughly one in four students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that places the school in a middle range for a northern New Jersey public school. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the reporting, so those proportions are unknown.
Vernon Township itself is large and car-dependent, with no compact downtown and residential areas spread across valleys and lake communities. The district’s six schools are on separate campuses rather than clustered together. The housing market in the area shows home values that are moderately below the state average but above the national figure; rents are similarly positioned. The local economy is shaped by recreation and tourism—Mountain Creek ski resort, Crystal Springs Resort, and satellite uplink facilities are among the major employers. This is not a high-density suburban environment; families who choose Vernon often do so for the outdoor recreation access, larger lots, and a more rural setting.
On the district level, families should be aware of two ongoing developments. The district has been publicly debating the closure of one of its six school buildings due to a sustained enrollment decline over recent years. No decision has been finalized, but the discussion carries implications for attendance boundaries, commute patterns, and property values. Separately, the district approved a budget with a maximum-allowed tax levy increase for the second consecutive year, a recurring cost that homeowners in the township will see on their property tax bills.
For a parent assessing Lounsberry Hollow, the picture is one of a moderate-performing elementary school in a district that is actively managing enrollment and fiscal pressures. The school itself has no special designation—it is a regular public school—and program offerings beyond the standard curriculum were not listed in the available data. Because Lounsberry Hollow serves only two grade levels, its academic record is limited to those years, and there is no graduation rate or college readiness metric to consider. The peer environment is broadly typical of the township’s demographics, and the community context is distinctly rural-recreational rather than suburban or urban. A parent weighing this school will want to look into the district’s consolidation discussion, ask about academic supports for the weaker proficiency areas, and consider whether the spread-out, car-dependent township fits their lifestyle.
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